"The man who does more than he is paid for will soon be paid for more than he does" - Napoleon Hill

Ladies and Gents,

This quote very much represents the free enterprise capitalism that runs rampage over North America. This reality has fallen on our own little universe of draftcountdown. As years go Mr.Wright Slowly lowers the bar of the output of material he produces as he rakes in the coin. He perfected the method of many bourgeois out there, he once began is career as an entrepreneur and dedicated his life to getting out of the proletarian nightmare he was living. He expanded on his vast knowledge of scouting reports and people came to read not only well-gathered information but entertaining. As the clicks ran up Mr.Wright got caught up in this American dream of "rags to riches', in which he did less and less as there years went on. He began contracting out his work desperate proletariats like Mr.Hallam, eagar to get in on the action. As Mr.Wright sat on his high horse and let the little man do his work for him for a fraction of the pay, we saw the quality of the product decline. With this the site activity has declined and the forums are as dry as prohibition.

This work model has been perfected by several international corporations and outsourcing of assignments to overseas. Yet my references are extremely recent. This type of work can be dated to likes of Aristotle and Plato, these top scholars allowed their understudies to do much work our a vast variety of subjects and the aformentioned scholars still put their name to it. Perhaps one of the biggest failures of the 20th century was Benito Mussolini's attempt to take the Balkans in the second world war, this work was outsourced from the Anti-Christ himself, and was insufficient. Yet in the 21st century this model works with a passive approach.

In closing, i must disclaim any slander against Mr.Wright himself, it is how the demographics play out in the socio-economic game. As for refering to mr Hallam as the little man that was not intended as a pun. I was born to address the masses with the truth so that many can experience the real universe.

Brothgar

08-16-2012 02:21 AM

This has been a topic every month for the past year. They had someone who was suppose to contribute but they bailed at the last minute. Forcing Scott and Shane on top of doing podcasts (which believe me is a lot more than just hopping on the phone and doing it) doing the on location stuff (senior bowl, etc) and all the other stuff that goes on in this site. Not to mention the whole thing with radio interview requests, going on NFLN, ETC. It's not easy. With that said I'm sure this year they will have more scouting reports than they had last season.

niel89

08-16-2012 02:29 AM

Yeah the lack of content on the site was disappointing. It sucks that they had some one drop out like that. We had a thread a while back where we kinda aired our opinions about this so Scott is aware. I'm excited to see whats happens this year.

Shane P. Hallam

08-19-2012 04:00 PM

Appreciate the thoughts, but Scott and I are hard at work for the relaunch of the site. Recognize that between the NFL Draft and now, Scott (moreso than me,) is watching over 300 prospects in multiple games to create initial rankings. Add on the programming part which is time consuming in and of itself, and it takes a long time. Toss in looking up all the stats for every player and plugging them in and it takes a bit.

I appreciate the concern and keep an eye out as we may be asking for some help for the site in the future! I look forward to another great year at DC as the traffic has only increased every single year!

The site relaunch should be taking place in the coming weeks

Scott Wright

08-28-2012 04:09 PM

Hey Everyone!

As "Brothgar" mentioned in a post above, there was a big hiccup in last years plans. A person who I had brought in and was counting on to handle scouting reports unexpectedly bailed right in the middle of the process and as a result Shane and I were left scrambling to get as many scouting reports up as possible late in the process.

Believe me when I say nobody was more disappointed in the lack of content last year than I was. Please don't think it was just a case of me being lazy though. I think Shane would attest to my work ethic after seeing me in action down in Mobile at the Senior Bowl the past couple of years. After all, nobody has more incentive to fill the site than I do because more content equals more traffic which equals more revenue.

I am going back to basics this year though and I have a new motto: Mocks & Scouting Reports! Those are going to be my priorities. We'll still be doing the podcast, which is one of my favorite parts of the job, but I'm not going to mess around with the blog and other little features like that. Instead I am going to start pumping out scouting reports earlier than ever (Mid-September) and that will be a primary focus.

The target date for the re-launch, with the old content coming down and all new content for the 2013 NFL Draft going up, is Friday, September 7th. I have compiled my list of prospects for the initial rankings and am working feverishly on creating the web pages and headshots for each player, which is a tedious process. I believe there will be more players in the initial rankings than ever before! Then next week I will tweak the rankings, do the first mock draft of the year, take care of some odds and ends before making the site live.

Finally, I just want to thank everyone for all of their support over the years. Please know that it is truly appreciated and I am going to strive to knock this year’s coverage out of the park!

Jimmy

08-28-2012 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Wright
(Post 3101091)

Hey Everyone!

As "Brothgar" mentioned in a post above, there was a big hiccup in last years plans. A person who I had brought in and was counting on to handle scouting reports unexpectedly bailed right in the middle of the process and as a result Shane and I were left scrambling to get as many scouting reports up as possible late in the process.

Believe me when I say nobody was more disappointed in the lack of content last year than I was. Please don't think it was just a case of me being lazy though. I think Shane would attest to my work ethic after seeing me in action down in Mobile at the Senior Bowl the past couple of years. After all, nobody has more incentive to fill the site than I do because more content equals more traffic which equals more revenue.

I am going back to basics this year though and I have a new motto: Mocks & Scouting Reports! Those are going to be my priorities. We'll still be doing the podcast, which is one of my favorite parts of the job, but I'm not going to mess around with the blog and other little features like that. Instead I am going to start pumping out scouting reports earlier than ever (Mid-September) and that will be a primary focus.

The target date for the re-launch, with the old content coming down and all new content for the 2013 NFL Draft going up, is Friday, September 7th. I have compiled my list of prospects for the initial rankings and am working feverishly on creating the web pages and headshots for each player, which is a tedious process. I believe there will be more players in the initial rankings than ever before! Then next week I will tweak the rankings, do the first mock draft of the year, take care of some odds and ends before making the site live.

Finally, I just want to thank everyone for all of their support over the years. Please know that it is truly appreciated and I am going to strive to knock this year’s coverage out of the park!

SCOTTTTT

Caulibflower

08-28-2012 06:52 PM

Excellent. Didn't know somebody bailed on the scouting reports... That explains a lot. Really looking forward to seeing what the revamped site looks like.

soybean

08-28-2012 10:13 PM

soybean

08-28-2012 10:23 PM

But anyways seriously here's what I have to say. I'll spoiler tag it, so people aren't forced to read it.

I think a good idea would be to get some knowledgeable posters or other people to help either volunteer or paid on a small stipend to handle certain respective conferences.

one person can be in charge of writing up all pac-12 scouting reports
one person can be in charge of writing up sec scouting reports, big 12, b1g, and so on.

Then you and Shane can work on all other aspects (mock draft) and players who were not touched upon.

It's important to evolve and change with the times though. Should invest and put more features into the forums because, quite honestly, that's the strongest aspect of this site. It can be the anchor for traffic.

Sidenote:
I really liked how you guys engaged posters and had a sort of Bill Simmons mailbag Q&A thing. Then you just stopped.

As you can see with the trend of a lot of websites. Simplicity is what everyone is moving towards. (look at sites like imgur.com, dropcanvas.com, etc.) Simplify the front page. Make it linear and very easy and pleasing to look at. Take out unnecessary features of the site and try to opt for stationary ads instead of pop ups. google adsense maybe?

Big picture is, once the site is generating more and more revenue. Try to opt for a mobile site for smart phones and possibly an app that makes things easier to read.

But, anyways, I know two shits about running a website and probably know a fraction about football compared to you guys.

brat316

08-28-2012 10:31 PM

i want you to still write the reports. But let someone else format/program it and look up the stats, and fill them in. That is lacky work which you shouldn't be wasting your time on.

Seriously don't let posters write scouting reports. They can write their own on the forums, like ThePudge did. He had great reports and now he is off doing better things.

I can read the site fine on my phone. Mobile app would be cool, but its not to hard to book mark the site and just go there.

CashmoneyDrew

08-29-2012 02:37 AM

I agree with Soybean about a mobile format for the site, and especially the forums. As much as I loathe Volnation, their mobile format is one thing I can give them credit for. Makes mobile surfing so much more efficient.

LonghornsLegend

08-31-2012 09:23 AM

I think other posters writing scouting reports would kind of defeat the purpose, no? I mean, there could be a ton of things posters could help out with, but I would like to think it's important to differentiate the difference between who was doing what. What if a poster loves a prospect and Scott hates him? Most people come here to read scotts scouting reports on a guy, not a poster that somebody from the outside doesn't know.

As somebody said, ThePudge does his rankings and post them into the forum which is fine, as well as scouting reports. If there was going to be other hands into the rankings dept, I think it would be cool to have it broken down where Scott ranks him personally, then the other people(person), and then average the rankings together.

It would just seem weird if say for instance Scott is a huge Landry Jones fan, but the person who does scouting reports loathes him as a prospect, so when Landry Jones ends up a bust the scouting report will reflect those sentiments even though Scott disagreed completely with that. Not sure how that would work.

I think it's interesting hearing his views personally on these prospects and looking back on them. Though I do agree extra hands chipping in is needed, the site is growing and getting much bigger and the content should reflect that.

AntoinCD

08-31-2012 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LonghornsLegend
(Post 3102777)

I think other posters writing scouting reports would kind of defeat the purpose, no? I mean, there could be a ton of things posters could help out with, but I would like to think it's important to differentiate the difference between who was doing what. What if a poster loves a prospect and Scott hates him? Most people come here to read scotts scouting reports on a guy, not a poster that somebody from the outside doesn't know.

As somebody said, ThePudge does his rankings and post them into the forum which is fine, as well as scouting reports. If there was going to be other hands into the rankings dept, I think it would be cool to have it broken down where Scott ranks him personally, then the other people(person), and then average the rankings together.

It would just seem weird if say for instance Scott is a huge Landry Jones fan, but the person who does scouting reports loathes him as a prospect, so when Landry Jones ends up a bust the scouting report will reflect those sentiments even though Scott disagreed completely with that. Not sure how that would work.

I think it's interesting hearing his views personally on these prospects and looking back on them. Though I do agree extra hands chipping in is needed, the site is growing and getting much bigger and the content should reflect that.

I agree that it would defeat the purpose of posters doing scouting reports. I would have no problem if the odd article written by a poster was featured, however the bulk of the content should be from Scott.

The other problem I see with posters producing things, who decides who is a reputable or knowledgeable poster? And on what criteria? It all just gets too messy.

Posters can write articles and put up their own rankings and scouting reports in the forum. That's what the forum is for

AntoinCD

08-31-2012 10:00 AM

Is me smartt enuf??

soybean

08-31-2012 01:20 PM

I think some are misinterpreting what I mean by have other people write certain scouting reports.

I don't mean for people to write scouting reports devoid of any oversight by Scott or Shane.

They would obviously read it through before submission.

The only problem I have is people's homerism can cloud their judgement and ability to effectively grade players in their own team or conference.

D-Unit

08-31-2012 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caulibflower
(Post 3101198)

Excellent. Didn't know somebody bailed on the scouting reports... That explains a lot. Really looking forward to seeing what the revamped site looks like.

I don't think the look of the site will change too much. Just the content.

regoob2

09-01-2012 11:05 AM

I know you guys like the podcasts but is there anyway to get so articles as well? I like to read those at work and I never get a chance to listen to the podcasts.

ThePudge

01-28-2013 03:11 AM

My apologies for bringing a dead and largely irrelevant thread back to life, but I figured I'd share a few thoughts. I loved the years I spent on the NFLDC forums. There was a breadth of football knowledge here and I found it to be an amazing place to cultivate my love for the game and make friends. To this day, I am still close with several guys I met on these forums.

I never boycotted this site or solicited anyone to get their draft info elsewhere. It was simply my time to go. I put a lot of work into my draft preparation and felt that tucked away on a web forum was not the best place to receive the desired audience or exposure. As much as I loved the community, I spent too much of my time arguing with trolls (who have come & gone) rather than actual intelligent draft debate/conversation.

Unfortunately, I knew my role here. There was a pecking order and if you weren't at the top, well you may as well have been a nobody. In the absence of good, thorough, (and most of all, consistent) analysis, I think I picked up the slack on the Draft forum for a while. Though you could argue my credibility, one look at my work and you knew I was putting forth a heck of an effort. When Shane, whom I have a great deal of respect for, was promoted to a writing position I thought it was a step in the right direction. Still, I felt an enormous divide between Scott Wright and the forum community that fueled the website.

An anecdote: When I was 15-16 years old, I contacted players through social media outlets for interviews. During those couple years I was able to interview Malcolm Jenkins, Colt Brennan, Chris Long, Jerome Simpson, and many others that would go on to be 1st round picks or play in the NFL. I was told I was not allowed to post these interviews here because Scott Wright didn't like the fact that I was interviewing players "without a reason." The reason I provided Scott was good enough for over a dozen future NFL athletes to take time out of their schedules: I was a teenager who wanted to work in football one day, whether it be as an NFL scout or on the media side.

Fast forward to today, I'm still pursuing my dreams of working in football. I'm finally making some money doing what I love and I plan to push for a career in scouting after I graduate. It's unfortunate that I had to go elsewhere to get an opportunity. If I were offered a monthly spot writing in the draft blog, I'd have never left. Heck, I'd have taken anything. Some sign of respect, some kind of acknowledgment that "hey, this kid actually is serious about making a career out of football/talent evaluation."

So, moving ahead, why post this? Well, I spent years posting here while cultivating my passion for the NFL Draft, and I think I owe it a proper farewell. To echo what some have said before me: there are ways to improve the quality of the site and improve overall satisfaction levels.

I'm not suggesting hiring a full staff, but show the community some love! The draft content is what brought everyone in, but the forum community is what keeps them coming back for more. It is the lifeblood of this website and is the reason SWDC continues to generate more than enough clicks to keep it afloat. How do you keep them happy? You take a bit of time out of your day every now & then to show them some appreciation. Jump into a debate, better yet spark a couple debates on the forum yourself and let the guys at it! Make sure these people who have frequented your site for nearly a decade know that they are appreciated. A PM of thanks/acknowledgment to everyone that has over 10,000 posts would not be such a bad idea either.

Before I go, I want to clarify: this was in no way intended to be a personal attack toward Scott, nor did I come to criticize how things are run around here. I simply wanted to explain my departure and make a suggestion about how things could improved in the future. I wish everyone the best. Scott and Shane, good luck to you guys as you prepare for the upcoming draft.

- Ryan Lownes "ThePudge"

brat316

01-28-2013 10:14 AM

Yeah bos, said it best, the off topic forum is more popular than the draft section

nepg

01-28-2013 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhaarat316
(Post 3258169)

Yeah bos, said it best, the off topic forum is more popular than the draft section

That's the case with any forum that's matured into a community, though.

CrossOfDeath

01-28-2013 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThePudge
(Post 3258094)

Unfortunately, I knew my role here. There was a pecking order and if you weren't at the top, well you may as well have been a nobody. In the absence of good, thorough, (and most of all, consistent) analysis, I think I picked up the slack on the Draft forum for a while. Though you could argue my credibility, one look at my work and you knew I was putting forth a heck of an effort. When Shane, whom I have a great deal of respect for, was promoted to a writing position I thought it was a step in the right direction. Still, I felt an enormous divide between Scott Wright and the forum community that fueled the website.

I was on this site 7-8 years ago and I saw the pecking order as well. Whether you had good opinions or not if they didn't fit in with what the masses or draft media had to say then you got crapped on. It was the reason I left here. I didn't have ambitions of being a scout or getting a monthy spot I just didn't feel like getting crapped on because my opinions were different than what the media had to say.

I came back about a week ago and have had several posted crapped on right off the bad. First post someone jumped me about Mike Catapano and accused me of never watching they guy even after I admitted I never watched anything other than youtube. I posted about an artical that had scouts saying Kenny Vaccaro was a Top 10 player and a few posters again were giving me the business when I clearly wasn't even the guy saying he was Top 10 just passing along info.

Since I have returned the forums are a dead. The Browns forum used to have upwards of 20 people posting every day and the draft forum was constantly moving. I feel a lot of people left as I did because of the buddy buddy that goes on here and the "upper" class always putting down everyone else for the every opinion that didn't line up with theirs.

I feel Scott did a poor job of putting the right people in charge as well as back then I saw and was involved in several arguement where the "mods" would let certain posters get away with more language and put downs and the such than other posters. There was more than the acceptable amount of favortism going around these forums.

I have since found a far better forum to talk football which I frequent every single day and draftcountdown has fallen so far in the pecking order I was looking at it once a month until recently I decided to join the boards again.

I didn't realize how dead things were around here until I started looking at it daily for the last week and if things down pick up I'm just going to bounce again.

that said, i always thought a 'guest column' thing would be interesting. wouldn't have to be a poster, but just take some submissions periodically from other people, pick the best one, and post it. it gets additional points of view out, encourages more of a community, and still leaves full control over any opinion posted on the site (and thus, potentially attributable to scott) up to scott (and/or jbond). plus, they don't have to really do any work. just read em and pick one. *shrug*

a guest column thing would be gnarly. Like have a fan do a writeup on a player from their team. like a once a week thing or something. (cough cough I could do Khaseem Green cough cough)

rockio42

01-28-2013 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottyboy
(Post 3258202)

a guest column thing would be gnarly. Like have a fan do a writeup on a player from their team. like a once a week thing or something. (cough cough I could do Khaseem Green cough cough)

I can jump on Sheldon Richardson and Gooden, I got to interview both of them during the season multiple times haha

scottyboy

01-28-2013 11:11 AM

also, CrossofDeath, go back and read your thread. there's actually a good safety debate going on in there. I'm not sure where you're getting this "everyone jumped on me and hurt my feelings" angle. 2 people did.

And honestly, yeah, there's going to be a "pecking order" here. it's just like life. If you know your stuff and present good arguments, you're going to gain respect and acknowledgement. the reason this site has gone empty in terms of football is because it's getting watered down with trolls and people with the football IQ of a chair.

I'm a little surprised at you, Pudge. You were one of the few who's football posts always caught mine, and many others, attention.

I don't know why a "pecking order" is a surprise or a bad thing. If you're an intern who's never done anything for the company and expect your bosses to be chomping at the bit to read your proposal to buy the Brooklyn Bridge, you've gotta re-think things a bit

ThePudge

01-28-2013 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottyboy
(Post 3258207)

also, CrossofDeath, go back and read your thread. there's actually a good safety debate going on in there. I'm not sure where you're getting this "everyone jumped on me and hurt my feelings" angle. 2 people did.

And honestly, yeah, there's going to be a "pecking order" here. it's just like life. If you know your stuff and present good arguments, you're going to gain respect and acknowledgement. the reason this site has gone empty in terms of football is because it's getting watered down with trolls and people with the football IQ of a chair.

I'm a little surprised at you, Pudge. You were one of the few who's football posts always caught mine, and many others, attention.

I don't know why a "pecking order" is a surprise or a bad thing. If you're an intern who's never done anything for the company and expect your bosses to be chomping at the bit to read your proposal to buy the Brooklyn Bridge, you've gotta re-think things a bit

When I was typing that whole thing up, I was afraid that people would get caught up in the "pecking order" comment. Whether true or not, that point is not entirely relevant to the rest of my post. I wasn't coming to complain about any pecking order on the forums. With a few exceptions, I always thought the SWDC community was the best around and for a while, this was THE place to talk NFL Draft.